Runaway Prius Hybrid Could Prompt Toyota Recall

By: Bill Waters
03/10/2010 08:47 AM ET

The Toyota Prius might be subdued to another recall after new reports of unintended acceleration incidents with their vehicles. The latest recall on the hybrid car was issued two weeks ago that involved the brake system. One reported incident, involving James Sikes, happened earlier this week.

“I’m trying to control the car,” Sikes said on the 911 audio tape. The dispatcher asked him if his accelerator was stuck. He replied, “Yeah. I tried to pull it back.”

Sikes, 61, was driving on a busy freeway outside San Diego on Monday when he noticed that his car accelerated. He was surprised, and then dialed 911 as he struggled to lift the gas pedal. The California Highway Patrol said the terrified motorist was helpless as the car raced along the road at speeds of more than 90 mph.

Officers used a loudspeaker to talk with James Sikes. They asked him to use his emergency brake while turning off the engine. The patrol car got in front of the 2010 Toyota hybrid and helped guide the hybrid car to safety.

Driver Explains Runaway Vehicle Acceleration

“I was actually heading east on our Interstate 8 in San Diego, and I was pushing the gas, a little extra, in fact, very hard, to pass a car that was coming on the freeway,” Sikes said in a statement. “And as I did that, the gas pedal felt weird, and it went all of the way to fast – I was actually going around cars and came close to hitting one semi-truck and speeding up faster at that time.” He tried hitting the brake but the hybrid would not respond, “I was in the 80s (miles per hour) at that point and kept hitting the brakes and hitting the brake, and it was not slowing down at all. It was accelerating.’”

Toyota sent two technical specialists to investigate the report and to offer assistance. They are examining the automobile to look for potential causes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is also gathering details on the incident and have opened their own investigation.

Toyota Hybrid Car Sends Woman To Hospital

Another Toyota vehicle also had similar problems that sent a woman to a New York hospital. Police said the woman was pulling out off her driveway when the hybrid car accelerated out of control and crashed into a rock wall. An initial police investigation has ruled out the driver’s floor mat as a cause of the accident as it was found attached to the Toyota’s seat base with plastic ties.

It is unclear if this corrective action was taken in response to a recall on the vehicle. The Prius currently remains with police as an investigation continues. Federal safety investigators are gathering evidence from the car.

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